Like many of you, for the past few years I have been replacing most of my plastic food storage and serving containers with glass. Mainly, this means I am using lots and lots of Mason jars–for leftovers, for cut fruit, for hot drinks, and more. I am a card-carrying member of the Mason Jar Fan Club! All year I’ve been sending the kids to school with mason jars, which has remarkably only turned to disaster once. I foresee a summer full of Mason jar picnics, so I thought these padded, insulated bags could help keep cold food cold, as well as protect the jar.

(This is a good project for making multiples at once. Cut all your fabric and do each step for all the bags before you move on to the next step.)

Step 2: With right sides together, sew the exterior top to the exterior bottom using 3/8″ seam allowance. Repeat with the other top and bottom. Press seams open.

Step 3: Place one of the exterior pieces on one of the pieces of fleece. You can either quilt these pieces together, or just baste the fleece to the exterior by sewing along the outside using 1/4″ seam allowance. Repeat with the other exterior and fleece pieces. I chose to do straight-line quilting with my walking foot, stopping before the notched bottoms.

Step 4: Fold both ends of the channel pieces in 1/4″, press then stitch. Fold in half long-ways and press.

Step 5: Center the raw edge of the channel pieces along the top edges of the exterior pieces, pin and stitch using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Step 6: With right sides together, pin the exterior pieces, carefully matching the seams where the tops and bottoms of the exterior meet so you will have a nice continuous seam line around bag. Sew along the sides and bottom with a 3/8″ seam allowance. Do not sew notches.

Step 7: Open the bag and bring the notches together to create a straight edge. Match the bottom seam with the side seams and pin. Sew with a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Step 8: Sew the lining together as you did the exterior. (Sew sides and bottom, then box the bottom by bringing the bottom seam up to the side seams.)

Step 9: Turn the lining right side out. Place the lining inside the exterior (which is inside out) so the right sides are together. Match the side seams and pin along the top edge. Sew around the top using a 3/8″ seam allowance, leaving approximately 5″ open for turning the bag.

Step 10: Turn the bag out through the opening. For this final step, push the exterior inside the lining.

Step 11: Press the top edge with a hot iron. You will have to fiddle with the seam allowance to get it to lay flat. Make sure you fold the opening along the top edge in when you press. Edge stitch all the way around the top. Turn the bag right side out.

Step 12: Put a safety pin on one end of your cord and thread it through one of the channels (going from right to left.) Now push it through the other channel (going from left to right.) Tie the ends of the cord together. Take the other piece of cord and do the same, starting from the left this time.

Enjoy your summer fun with these Insulated Mason Jar Bags! Of course this little bag would also be perfect for carrying toy cars, hair curlers, chocolate frogs, rocks, spools of thread, or just about anything the size of a 16 oz. Mason jar. Have fun!

Do you have a pint and a quart there? (I don’t have either right now.) Use a tape measure get the circumference of the pint and then the quart. Whatever the difference is, divide it in half and add that to the width all the pieces (so if the difference is 3″, add 1.5″ to the 7.25″ measurement.) For the height, just compare the two and add the difference to the height measurement of the lining and the fleece, but you’ll have to split the difference between the exterior top and bottom pieces.

I think someday, we’re going to find out all the water we’ve been buying in those plastic water bottles at the grocery store is causing all kinds of diseases and cancers. For that reason, I’ve been drinking only osmosis water (from home) and using mason jars when I leave the house. (I buy the plastic lids to fit instead of the 2-part lid that come with.) This insulated carrier works perfect! Thanks for a great pattern.

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We always travel with handmade bags. We have vintage embroidery framed on our walls, piles of fabric next to the sewing machine and more WIPs than we'll ever finish. We love the history, craft and artistry of sewing. Read More

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